Promises
by Elessar King
Summary: Arthur's father makes a promise, and after 20 years, Arthur still hasn't forgotten it. Completed two chapter one-shot deally.
1. Part 1

I was attacked by a bunny this morning on the way to the bus. This is only part 1, there will be a second part I think, sometime...in the near future. It's kind of sad/cute, just a warning. I figure that Arthur was probably about 8 or 9 in the movie when his mother died, so he's 6 in my story, since it's prior to that. That and I absolutely could not think of a name for her LOL, so she's unnamed! This was kind of random, so if it seems wrong in any way, like language or whatever..that would be why. Anyway, enjoy.

Title: Promises  
Rating: G  
Summary: Arthur's father makes a promise, but can he keep it?

* * *

It was dark; no candle, nor the newly risen sun lit the small room. There was light under the wooden door slowly trying to creep it, but it did not disturb the small, sleeping form on the bed; neither did the hushed voices outside. 

"I promise you, we won't be gone for long," whispered a man's voice.

"Lucius..." sighed a woman, "It's too dangerous. And what of your son, he needs you."

"He is strong."

"He is a child! And the same fever has claimed too many others in this village, no matter how strong. You cannot leave us now Lucius."

"Do you think that I want to leave you? Even if he wasn't ill, it pains me to be parted from both of you. I have no choice."

"You always have a choice."

"Not this time."

"But-..." she started, but he cut her off.

"I will come back by tomorrow morning."

The voices faded and the door quietly opened, spilling light across the floor. Lucius Castus stood in the doorway of his son's room. He wished he didn't have to leave now. He had already asked the commander, told him his son was sick, but that did nothing. Orders were orders.

Lucius knelt down beside the boy, laying his large hand on his son's forehead and brushed back his dark hair. His skin was hot to the touch, fever burned inside him. The boy coughed, Lucius rubbed his chest gently.

"Artorius," Lucius smiled sadly, stroking the boy's cheek as his grey eyes opened.

"Father..." Arthur whispered, only six years old, "Father, you promise to take me riding today, do you remember?"

"I-...I do remember, my boy, and I will. But not today," Lucius replied softly, "I have to go and you need to get better. When I come back, we can go riding." He smiled again and pointed to a wooden box on the table next to Arthur's bed, "And I will teach you to use the two swords."

"Why do you have to go, Father?" Arthur asked, coughing again.

"The village needs protecting, you and your mother, and everyone else who lives here too," Lucius explained as his wife stood in the doorway, the same position he had previously occupied, creating a silhouette in the light.

"I can protect mother," Arthur yawned.

Pulling the blankets up to his son's chin, Lucius nodded, "I know you can. You will be a great warrior someday."

"Like you, Father?"

Lucius brushed Arthur's hair back again, "Go to sleep, when you wake tomorrow morning, I'll be here."

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

The boy smiled weakly and coughed, closing his tired eyes again and drifting back to sleep.

Lucius' own smile faded replaced by a look of worry. He leaned forward and whispered barely louder than a breath, "Be strong, my little Artorius." Kissing his son's forehead, Lucius stood and walked over to his wife, taking her in his arms one last time before he left.

The next morning Arthur awoke to a pounding outside his room. He was feeling better today, he wasn't so cold, but his mother still told him to stay in bed. But he was curious, and slowly got up. Opening the door, Arthur peaked out. In the outer room was a soldier and his mother. She was crying. Why was she crying? 

Arthur suddenly remembered when one of the other village boy's father was killed. The boy said a soldier came and he talked to his mother and when he was finished, his mother hugged him and cried. The next day they buried the boy's father.

Opening the door all the way, Arthur's face distressed, he stood in the doorway. The soldier looked down at him and then over to his mother. She slowly walked over to him and crouched down, putting her hands on his shoulders. Arthur's mother opened her mouth to say something, but found she couldn't. All she could do was take her son in her arms. Arthur didn't need to be told.


	2. Part 2

Haha, here it is! The little um sequel deally to Promises part 1. Obviously since they have the same title. Ok, so it may not be entirely accurate, but whatever. It was a bunny, it bit me and I had to write or else the killer plot bunny would eat me or something. Yeah. I highly suggest reading the first part if you haven't lol. Anyway, enjoy.

Title: Promises part 2  
Rating: G (the awwwwwwwww...rating)  
Summary: The promise is fulfilled.

* * *

_"Do you promise?"_

_"I promise."_

Arthur never forgot the promise made that day, not in twenty years. Somewhere in the back of his mind, he still held onto it as if there was a chance of it being fulfilled. But how could his father fulfill his promise when he was dead. As if there was a chance of hope. What made him hold on to it?

A figure appeared in his room, shadowy and dark. There was no sound of footsteps on the stone floor. Arthur could not see the man's face, it was hidden beneath his hood, yet he was not afraid. The man drew closer and stood beside his bed, casting off his hood and revealing his face.

"Father.." whispered Arthur.

Lucius smiled, but said nothing. He was the exact image that Arthur remembered him to be. His dark hair was cropped close to his head, shorter than Arthur's was now, and a pair of intense grey eyes gazed back at him, matching his own. The armour was similar to Arthur's own, Roman made.

"Father..." Arthur started again, "You-..you didn't come back...your promise-..."

"But I have now," Lucius replied, "I promised I would return and I kept it." He reached over and brushed a stray lock of hair out of Arthur's face. His hand was wet and cold.

Arthur glanced at the window in his room, "Is it raining?"

"No, it stopped some time ago," Lucius said.

Pausing, Arthur looked up at him again. "Father, why didn't you come back? Why did you wait?"

"Because I had to wait. I don't know that I could explain it to you, Artorius, but you have to understand that I did not want to leave you in the first place. I never did. Just as I don't want to leave again now, but I must."

"No Father," Arthur pleaded, tears welling in his eyes, "Stay here with me, don't leave!"

"I have to, Artorius," Lucius smiled sadly, "Farewell my son." He placed his hood up over his head and walked back out into the shadows.

Arthur bolted up in bed, "No! Father come back!"

"Arthur!" Lancelot strung his arm across his friend's chest, trying to keep him down, "Arthur, calm down. I've been telling you for the past few minutes, he's not here." The knight was surprised at the strength Arthur still posed. He turned as Dagonet also came to his side, his large hands pushing on Arthur's shoulders, both of them trying to get him to lay down again.

"Arthur, listen to me," Dagonet said slowly, sounding quite calm as he always did, "Calm down before you hurt yourself."

The struggling stopped and was replaced by a fit of shuddering coughs. Sweat dripped down Arthur's face, his dark hair was stuck to his forehead. Dagonet's grip lessened and Lancelot gently rubbed his chest. After a moment, Arthur turned his fever glazed eyes to the knights beside him. "Lancelot? Dagonet?" he questioned.

Dagonet nodded, "Lay back, you're sick."

"My Father, he was-.."

"A dream, Arthur," Lancelot said, "He was never here, I'm sorry."

"He was, I saw him-" Arthur protested, but started coughing instead. "He came back, like he promised."

"It's only been us for the past day, Arthur," Lancelot sighed, "You have a fever, it was just a dream."

Slowly Arthur laid back. A dream, how could it have been a dream, he felt his father touch him. No, the promise was fulfilled. He could breathe easier now, the coughing subsided. With his father's promise of return lifted from his mind, Arthur finally fell back to a restful sleep.

"I hate when that happens," commented Lancelot, dabbing a damp cloth on Arthur's face to whip the sweat away.

Dagonet sighed and rubbed his face, standing up again, "It is hard. Too many memories." He felt Arthur's forehead, "Though, I think his fever may be lowering, that is good."

Lancelot nodded in agreement. He sat in silence for a long time. Both of them knew of the relation; the last time Arthur had seen his father, he had been sick. A similar situation triggered the memories perhaps.

_"Be strong, my little Artorius,"_ Lucius Castus smiled down from the stars above, _"I have kept my promise."_


End file.
